Carton taping machine



1955 J. A. MILLER ETAL 3,199,262

CARTON TAPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 24. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 10, 1965J. A. MILLER ETAL 3,

CARTON 'IAVPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 24. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 7/INVENTORS 54 4 JZSEPH A M/LLER FEA NK A KewGL/MSK/ 1 1955 J. A. MILLERETAL 3,199,262

CARTON TAPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 24. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 10, 1965J. A. MILLER ETAL 3,199,262

CARTON meme momma Filed Nov. 24. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 uv YEA/TOPS-JOSEPH A #14 LEE & RANK A. KEUGZ wl United States Patent 3,11%,262CARTGN TAPKNG MACHINE Joseph A. Miller, Englewood, and Frank A.Kruglinsld,

North Bergen, Ni, assignors to General Corrugated Machinery Company,inc, Palisades Park, Ni, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 24, 1%Ser. No. 154,629 4 @lairns. (Cl. 53-66) This invention relates tomechanism for automatically tape sealing cartons. The problem with whichthe invention is particularly concerned is that of tape sealing a cartonjoint which extends along an upper longitudinal edge of the carton,rather than along the center of the top as is more customary.

Although the invention lies solely in the mechanism, the problem and itssolution will be best understood in .relation to the cartonillustratively shown herein, this carton being of a type which ispopularly used for the shipping and dispensing of boxes of cookies. Thecarton body may be of conventional construction.

At the top of the body, front and rear flaps are provided which aredestined to be the inner flaps when the carton has been filled andsealed. Side flaps are provided which are as wide as the carton body,the result being, when these flaps are folded in, that the first flapcompletcly covers the mouth of the carton and the second flap completelycovers the first.

Through partial perforation and scoring the side flaps of the shippedand opened carton are adapted to be refolded to form a carrying handle,the carton being thereby converted into a carrying satchel for use bythe recipient when selling and/ or delivering the cookies from door todoor.

The illustrative machine is characterized by the fact that itautomatically folds in first the front flap, then the rear flap, thenthe inner side flap, and finally the outer side flap in a fullyautomatic manner, all while advancing the carton uninterruptedly.

As an incident of the continued advance of the carton, the machineautomatically measures a strip of tape of substantially the same lengthas the carton and applies about one-half of the tape width, from end toend, along the outer face of the free margin of the outer side flap.

The carton is then briefly arrested at a roll-down station while alongitudinally extending sealing roller is caused to run down and thenup, folding and rolling the unadhered half of the tape down and pressingit in against the side of the carton during the downward travel andagain pressing it against the side of the carton during the upwardtravel.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawing forming part of this specification,

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a substantial portion of thelength of an illustrative machine which embodies features of theinvention, as seen from a point on the operators side of the machinenear the introductory end therof;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the delivery end of themachine as viewed from the opposite side and the opposite end;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional plan view, partly broken away, of aportion of the delivery end of the machine, the section being taken onthe line 33 of FIG. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows, but beingon a larger scale than FIG.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary detail plan view showing particularly the cartoncontrolled switches through which the feeding, cutting and applying ofthe tape are timed and controlled;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in sectional side elevation of the deliveryend of the machine, the section being l al lhibz Patented Aug. 1Q, l

taken on the line 55 of FIG. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows,but being on a smaller scale than FIG. 3; and

PEG. 6 is a fragmentary view in end elevation of the delivery end of themachine.

The machine is in many respects of conventional construction, and as tothe conventional features the description will be comparatively brief. Arigid stationary frame ltl, consisting chiefly of upright members 1.2,longitudinal members 14% and transverse members 16, is provided.

A vertically adjustable frame 1% for carrying various overhead operatinginstrumentalities to be described, and consisting chiefly oflongitudinal side members 2t and transverse members 22, is supportedfrom the top of the frame it) by threaded rods 24 which pass verticallydownward through threaded brackets on the adjustable frame members 20. Amanually operable crank 26 can be operated to drive a transverse shaft218 which, through chains 3% and 3:2 drives similar transverse shafts28a and 2319. Each of the shafts 28, 28a and 28b has worms 34 fast uponits opposite ends, each worm 34 being drivingly engaged with a wormwheel36 fast on the upper end of one of the threaded rods 24. Throughoperation of the crank 26, all the rods are turned in unison and,because of the low pitch of the worms 34 and/ or the low pitch of thethreads on the rods 24, the frame 13 is automatically retained in anyposition to which it may have been adjusted by operation of the crank26. Most of the significant operating mechanisms are carried upon, andare adjustable by and with, the frame 18, and will be described a littlefarther on.

Cartons 4b are advanced through the machine at regularly spacedintervales on a conveyor 42, which conveyor comprises end rollers 44 and46 at the delivery and introductory ends of the machine, respectively,an endless conveyor belt 48, and a multiplicity of intermediate rollersfor supporting the active run of the belt in a horizontal plane. Theconveyor is carried by longitudinally extending frame supported bars 52.A motor 5d disposed beneath the delivery end of the conveyor isconnected through chain gearing 5a; to operate the drive roller 44 ofthe conveyor. The cartons are supplied to the machine by a gravityconveyor, not shown, and the spacing of the cartons is brou ht about b aslow runnin roller 58 which the cartons must cross as they near theconveyor. The roller 53 is driven from the roller 46 through chaingearing 69 at a peripheral speed which is substantially less than thespeed of the conveyor belt 43.

Since it is desired to apply the tape with the tear string extendingprecisely along the edge of the carton, and since the carton must besupported laterally during the rolling down of the tape against the sideof the carton, provision is made of rigid, relatively adjustable,continuous side uides 62 and 64-. The side guide 62, above which thetape is applied, is desirably adjustably fixed in position, while theside guide 64 is adjustable toward and from the side guide 62 to conformto the width of the cartons of each run.

The guide 6 is carried by plates 66 which are fixed on the ends of rackses. Each rack extends through a gear box 70, affixed to one of theupright frame members l2, and has driving engagement with n the box witha drive gear shown in dotted lines in FIGS. 3 and 6. The several drivegears are fast upon a longitudinally extending shaft 72, which shaft hasfast upon it an operating hand wheel 74 (FIG. 6).

A typical carton 4b, with one side flap partly broken away, is shownentering the machine in FIG. 1, While several preceding cartons,appropriately spaced, are shown progressing through the machine. On theentering carton, the body is designated '76, the front and rear flaps 78and 80, and the left and right side flaps 82 and 84. The flaps 82 and 84are provided, respectively, with longitudinal score lines 86 and 88 todivide the flaps into relatively foldable panels, and the outer panelsare cut through along C-shaped lines 90 and 92 to provide registeredhand-grip portions when the shipped and opened carton has been foldedinto satchel form.

As will be observed in FIG. 1, the carton enters the machine with allfour of the top flaps upstanding. The first thing required is that themachine shall fold in the front and rear flaps 78 and 80 successively,and then the left and right side flaps S2 and 84 successively. Foracting upon the front and rear flaps 78 and 80, a normally idle,inclined endless chain or belt 94 is provided. An extension 6 of thevertically adjustable frame 18 supports pulleys '98 and 190 upon whichthe upper rear portion and the lower front portion, respectively, of thechain 94 are trained. The pulley 98 is adapted to be drivencounterclockwise (as viewed in FIG. 1) by chain gearing 102 from a motor104, which motor is also carried on the extension 96 of the verticallyadjustable frame 18.

It is important that the chain 94 stand idle while in engagement withthe leading flap 78, but that it travel forward at a rate considerablyexceeding that of the carton while in engagement with the trailing flap36. In this way the leading flap 78 is caused to be folded rearward anddownward by the idle chain Q4, and the trailing fiap 80 is caused to befolded forward and downward by the traveling chain.

A rockable actuating arm 106 of a normally open switch 1% standsnormally across the carton path, the

switch being mounted on the side guide 64 with the pivot of theactuating arm 106 substantially abreast of the sprocket 160. The carton,therefore, engages'the arm 106 and swings it forward to switch closingposition after the leading flap has been fully folded. The motor isthereby energized, causing the active run of the chain to travel rapidlyin a downward and forward direction. The motor continues to be drivenand the chain continues to run until after the rear end of the cartonclears the arm 186. The chain 94 is of stepped or toothed formation,being composed of an endless series of connected pads or plates so thatit will catch behind the free edge of the trailing flap 86 and swing itforward. In order to avoid buckling of the trailing flap and possibledamage thereto, the chain is maintained normally in a sufiiciently slackcondition to enable it to .yield upward rather freely as it firstengages the trailing flap. The free edge of the trailing flap is thusable to swing forward through an arc which intersects the normal or freepath of the active run of the chain.

As the leading flap 78 moves beyond the chain 94, it passes beneath aholddown shoe 110 which is carried by the frame 18, and the same thingis true of the trail ing flap 80. As soon as the folding down of thetrailing fiap 80 is complete, a first plow 112, supported by the frame18, starts folding in the side flap 82, and this action is continueduntil the flap 82 has been folded down over the flaps 7 8 and 8t) and aportion at least of the shoe 110. A second plow 114, also carried by theframe 18,'then folds in side flap 84 over the side flap 82 as anincident of the continued advance of the carton, as shown in FIG. 1.

The carton is now ready for taping, and it passes beneath a taping head116 which is carried by the frame 18. A reel 118 carried in a holder120, which is supported by an arm 122 from the frame 18, pays out tape121 to the taping head 116 as required. The tape may be initiallyprovided with a tear string in the form of a ribbon of tough paper, cordor fabric, disposed along the center of the gummed face of the tape. Asillustrated, however, the tear string is applied in a moist condition tothe gummed face of plain, moisture sensitive, gummed tape, while thetape is enroute from the reel 118 to the pin ea 6- The tape passes fromthe reel 118 beneath an idler guide roller 124 and thence between afixed lower roller 126 and an opposed pressure roller 128. A spool 130,rotatively mounted on the frame 18, pays out string 132 as required. Thestring passes around a narrow waisted, V-grooved, guide pulley 134,thence over a moistening roller 136 which runs in a water container 138,then into contact with the center line of the gummed tape, and with thetape through the roller couple 126, 128. The water in the container 138is maintained at a substantially uniform level by a conventionalbarometric feed device 14%).

After having the tear string 132 applied, the tape121 passes through aprefeeder 142 of the type disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,721,669. Theprefeeder comprises a roller 144 which is constantly driven by chaingearing 146. A pressure roller 143 normally exerts no pressure on thetape, but is caused by a web riding rod 156 to press the tape againstthe roller 144 whenever the tape which has already traveled beyond theroller 144 becomes taut. The tape continues beneath a guide rod 152 andover a guide rod 154 to the taping head, which head is also of the typedisclosed in Patent No. 2,721,669.

The tape is directed downward between a constantly driven feed roller156 and an automatically operated pressure roller 158; The roller158 isnormally retracted, and the leading end of the tape normally stands atrest between an anvil roller 166v and an opposed cutting blade 162. Theroller 158 and the blade 162 are carried on a feed-cut lever 164atopposite sides of the lever pivot 166.

which cannot be reclosed until after its actuator has been returned tonormal position and then operated again in a forward direction. Themomentary closing of the switch 176 energizes an electromagnetic, valveoperating winding (not shown) of a familiar pneumatic actuator 172,setting the valve in a position to cause the piston rod 174 to be thrustupward. The piston rod 174 carries a clevis 176 which partially embracesthe lever 164 and which transmits the upward motion of the piston rod tothe lever 164, thereby swinging the cutter blade 162 away from the anvilroller and the pressure roller 158 in a direction to press the tapeagainst the constantly driven feed roller 156. This causes the tape tobe fed forward at the speed at which the conveyor belt 48 travels.

The tape is fed through successive feed couples which includes,respectively, driving rollers 175, 177 and 178. The roller'175 is amoistening roller which cooperates with a water pick-up roller 180 totransfer water from a container 182 to the gummed face of the tape. Thetape is finally fed out between a driven roller 184 and one of a seriesof driven rollers 186, which run at carton top level and serveto pressthe applied tape against the overlying side flap 84. One of the rollers186 is driven directly from a constantly running drive motor 188 throughchain gearing 190, while each of the remaining rollers of the series isdriven from a neighboring roller through chain gearing, not shown. Therollers 156, 175, 177, 178 and 184 areall driven from the shaft of oneof the rollers 186 through chain gearing, not shown.

The feeding out of the tape continues until the carton engages anddisplaces a switch actuator 194 of a second switch 196 which is like theswitch 176. Momentary closing of the switch 196 of the actuator 194energizes a second winding of the pneumatic device to return the valveof the device to its initial position. This causes the piston rod 174 tobe. pulled downward leaving the lever 164 free to be pulled downward bya tension coil spring 198. Tension coil springs 200 (one shown) connectthe clevis 176 with a rider 202 on the lever 164, so that the lever 164can lag relative to the piston rod 174 if an obstructionis encountered.The switches and 196,

3 are adjustably supported on side guide 64-, being disposed at exactlya carton length interval from one another and being so located that thelength of tape fed out and cut will be extend from end to end of thecarton with no protruding end.

Only a predetermined portion of the width of the tape, say one-half, isapplied to the closure flap, the remaining portion being caused toassume an overhanging position. The carton continues its advance beneatha set of idler holddown rollers 2&1, which are carried by an extension18a of the frame 18, until it is arrested at a tape folding andpressing, or roll-down station by a carton obstructing gate 202a.Coincidently with the arrival of the carton at the gate 2020, the cartoncauses a switch actuator 264 to close a switch 2&6 momentarily. Theswitch 266 energizes a valve operating winding of a pneumatic device288. The device 208 is generally like the device 172, save that itincludes in its own structure means for automatically returning thevalve to its original position at the conclusion of the downward stroke,and thereby returning the piston 210 to its raised position.

The piston rod 212 of the piston 210 is connected at its lower end to amovable frame 214 whereby a side pressing roller 216 is supported withfreedom for rotation. As the roller is carried downward by the frame 214it folds the overhanging portion of the tape downward and presses itfirmly and progressively in against the side of the carton, the cartonbeing supported laterally during this action by the side guide 64 and bya heavy C-shaped auxiliary support 218 welded to the side guide 64 whichextends upward in carton engaging position far enough to support thecarton at its very top. As the roller is automatically returned upwardit again rolls the tape smoothly and progressively against the side ofthe carton. The roller is made long enough to extend the full length ofthe longest carton for which the machine is designed.

The frame 214 has aflixed to it a pair of rigid, upwardly extendingguide rods 22%. The guide rods 220 carry cushions 222 at their lowerends and cushions 224 at their upper ends for suppressing noise andabsorbing shock at the ends of the upstroke and downstroke,respectively. The cushions are desirably formed of soft resilientrubber. Each of the rods 220 travels between upper and lower pairs ofguide rollers 226, which rollers are carried by a frame extension 130.

It is necessary that the pivotally mounted gate 202a be withdrawn at theconclusion of the upward or return stroke of the frame 214 in order topermit further advance of the carton. An actuator 22% of a switch 230,which is of the same type as the switches 1'76, 194 and 206, is carriedby the frame 18a. displaced position by a sloping abutment 232 on theframe 214. As the frame 214 starts downward, the actuator 222 is allowedto move to a free position, but this is an idle movement and is withouteffect. At the conclusion of the upward stroke of the frame 214,however, the actuator 228 re-engages the abutment 232 and is returned tothe position in which it is illustrated in FIG. 2. This causes theswitch 230 to be closed momentarily.

Momentary closing of the switch 230 causes an electromagnetic winding ofa further pneumatic device 234 (FIG. 3), like 172, to be energized, andthereby to set the valve of the device 234 in position to cause thepiston rod 236 to be retracted. The piston rod 236 is connected to thegate 202a and as the rod is retracted it withdraws the gate to thedotted line position indicated as 202a in FIG. 3. The advance of thecarton is immediately resumed, the interruption of advance having beenso brief that the following carton has not been allowed completely toclose the gap between the cartons.

As the carton moves forward it engages and displaces an actuator 238 ofa switch 240, causing the switch to be closed momentarily. Momentaryclosing of the switch 240 energizes a second winding of the device 234,and this restores the valve of the device to gate closing position.

It is normally maintained in a The gate 202a cannot close until it hasbeen cleared by the carton, but closing pressure is yieldinglymaintained upon the gate and serves to close the gate as soon as thecarton has cleared the gate.

While a certain preferred embodiment of the invention has beenillustrated and described in detail, it is to be understood that changesmay be made therein and the invention embodied in other structures. Itis not, therefore, the intention to limit the patent to the specificconstruction illustrated, but to cover the invention broadly in whateverform its principle may be utilized.

We claim:

1. A car-ton taping machine for forming a tape joint between a side andthe adjacent outer free margin of a flap which forms a substantiallycomplete closure of an erected car-ton comprising, in combination, acarton conveyor, a taping head disposed above the conveyor and includingmeans automatically responsive to the canton for feeding out, moisteningand cutting a strip of tape substantially equal in length to the cantonlength, and applying it in substantially coterminous relation to thecarton, means guiding the canton and tape relative to one another beforeand during application of the tape so that the tape is caused throughoutits length to be applied to the closure flap along a predeterminedsubstantial portion of the tape width and to protrude beyond theadjacent side of the cart-on throughout another predeterminedsubstantial portion of the tape width, means for temporarily a-rrestin gthe carton at a folding and pressing station, automa'tic folding andpressing means at such station, responsive to the car-ton, for foldingin the entire length of the protruding tape portion and pressing thesame against the carton side at a single operation, and .a tape holderfor paying out tape to said taping head, and means for feeding out atear string, moistening it and then conveying it in a moist conditionand in a predetermined position against the gummed face of the tapeenroute to the taping head whereby the tape will be located precisely inposition completely to open the tape-sealed joint when operated to tearthrough the tape.

2. A carton taping machine for forming a tape joint between a side andthe adjacent outer free margin of a iiap which forms a substantiallycomplete closure of an erected carton comprising, in combination, acarton convey-or, a taping head disposed above the conveyor andincluding means automatically responsive to the carton for feeding out,moistening and cutting a strip of tape substantially equal in length tothe cart-on length and applying it in substantially coterminous relationto the carton, means guiding the carton and tape relative to one anotherbefore and during application of the tape so that the tape is causedthroughout its length to be applied to the closure flap along apredetermined substantial portion of the tape width and to protrudebeyond the adjacent Side of the carton throughout another predeterminedsubstantial portion of the tape width, means for temporarily arrestingthe carton at a folding and pressing station, and automatic roll-downmeans at such station recipr-ocable in a direction parallel to thedirection of the conveyor tnavel but at right angles to the plane of theconveyor and responsive to the carton, and including a roller notsubstantially shorter than the carton for rolling in and then out overthe protruding tape portion and pressing the same against the cantonside as it moves inward and again .as it moves outward.

3. A canton taping machine for forming a tape joint between a side andthe adjacent outer free margin of a flap which forms a substantiallycomplete closure of an erected canton comprising, in combination, acarton conveyor, a taping head disposed above the conveyor and including means automatically responsive to the carton for feeding out,moistenin-g and cutting a strip of tape sub stantially equal in lengthto the cart-on length, and applying it in substantially coterminousrelation to the carton, means guiding the carton and tape relative toone ancart-on side at a single operation, the cart-on arresting meanscomprising a carton intercepting gate, means responsive to the arrivalof a carton at ther-oll-down station to initiate a single completeoperative reciprocation of the roll-down means, mechanism responsive toa final portion of the return stroke of the roll-down means to open thegate and permit further advance of the carton, and means responsive tosuch further advance to return the gate to carton intercepting position4. A carton taping machine for forming a tape joint ibetween a side andthe adjacent outer free margin of a 'iiap which forms a substantiallycomplete closure of an erected carton comprising, in combination, acarton conveyor, .a spacing roller located just ahead of the conveyor,means driving the conveyor at constant speed and the roller at asubstantially lower constant peripheralspeed, "a taping head disposedabove the conveyor and including means automatically responsive to thecarton for feeding :out, moistening and cutting a strip of tapesubstantially equal in length to the carton length, and applying it insubstantially coter-minous relation to the canton, means guiding thecarton and tape relative to one another before and during app'l-icationof the tape so that the tape is caused throughout its length to beapplied to the closure flap along .a predetermined substantial portionof the tape width and to protrud-e beyond the adjacent side of thecarton throughout another predetermined substantial portion of the tapeWidth, means for temporarily arresting the carton at a folding andpressing station, and automatic folding and pressing means at suchstation, responsive to the canton, for folding down the entire length ofthe protruding tape portion and pressing the same against the cartonside at a single operation, the arresting and folding and pressing meansbeing so timed in relation to the space provided between successivecartons by the spacing'roller that their action is complete and thecarton is freed to resume its travel before it can be overtaken by thenext following carton.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,751,390 3/30:Brust 53-137 1,978,035 1 0/34 Thorn 53-137 X 2,291,280 7/42 Joplin53-137 2,348,650 5/44 Rose 53-374 2,462,460 2/49 Binsack 53-3742,643,016 6/53 Steclcling 156-46 8 2,649,221 8/ 53 ,Wagner et al.156-468 2,726,783 12/55- Erickson 156-486 2,821,830 2/58 lFahey 53-137 X3,045,402 7/ 62 Keely et a1 53-137 X FOREIGN PATENTS 2/59 Germany.

E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner.

EA'RL M. BERGERT, TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE,

, Examiners.

2. A CARTON TAPING MACHINE FOR FORMING A TAPE JOINT BETWEEN A SIDE ANDTHE ADJACENT OUTER FREE MARGIN OF A FLAP WHICH FORMS A SUBSTANTIALLYCOMPLETE CLOSURE OF AN ERECTED CARTON COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, ACARTON CON VEYOR, A TAPING HEAD DISPOSED ABOVE THE CONVEYOR ANDINCLUDING MEANS AUTOMATICALLY RESPONSIVE TO THE CARTON FOR FEEDING OUT,MOISTENING AND CUTTING A STRIP OF TAPE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL IN LENGTH TOTHE CARTON LENGTH AND APPLYING IT IN SUBSTANTIALLY COTERMINOUS RELATIONTO THE CARTON, MEANS GUIDING THE CARTON AND TAPE RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHERBEFORE AND DURING APPLICATION OF THE TAPE SO THAT THE TAPE IS CAUSEDTHROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH TO BE APPLIED TO THE CLOSURE FLAP ALONG APREDETERMINED SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE TAPE WIDTH AND TO PROTRUDEBEYOND THE ADJACENT SIDE OF THE CARTON THROUGHOUT ANOTHER PREDETERMINEDSUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE TAPE WIDTH, MEANS FOR TEMPORARILY ARRESTINGTHE CARTON AT A FOLDING AND PRESSING STATION, AND AUTOMATIC ROLL-DOWNMEANS AT SUCH STATION RECIPROCABLE IN A DIRECTION PARALLEL TO THEDIRECTION OF THE CONVEYOR TRAVEL BUT AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE PLANE OF THECONVEYOR AND RESPONSIVE TO THE CARTON, AND INCLUDING A ROLLER NOTSUBSTANTIALLY SHORTER THAN THE CARTON FORO ROLLING IN AND THEN OUT OVERTHE PROTRUDING TAPE PORTION AND PRESSING THE SAME AGAINST THE CARTONSIDE AS IT MOVES INWARD AND AGAINST AS IT MOVES OUTWARD.